Day at the Beach
by Kusari-Gama 61602
Summary: Random fic. A few Joes spend a day at the beach filled with sunscreen, ninjas, a grumpy Sergeant Major, and an unseen danger within the waves. Co-authored with Greentigerr and posted with permission. NOW COMPLETE... maybe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is a random collaboration with Greentigerr. We had some discussion, and we honestly don't know why the Joes are at the beach for seemingly no reason, so we settled with 'they're on break'. Suggestions otherwise are welcome. Slight racism in this chapter, because - hey - Storm and Snake are best friends. We both think Snake can take a little teasing. Warning: Beach Head in capslock ahead.

* * *

Scarlett stepped out of her sandals and onto the fine sand. She let out a sigh of contentment as she wriggled her toes into the warm grains. A salty sea breeze blew in her face and she inhaled deeply as it teased her hair and tickled her neck. It was a perfect day for the beach; it was hot and sunny, with little wind and positively picturesque surf.

Well, _almost_ perfect.

Without warning, two scuba-suited forms sprinted past her, whooping and laughing. They reached the waves within seconds and dived under the first breaker with less difficulty than they'd had in getting out of the transport van.

"And that's the last we'll see of Deep-Six and Wet-Suit today, isn't it?" Cover Girl eagerly clambered out onto the sand, kicking off her shoes and taking a deep, appreciative breath of the fresh air.

The rest of the team hurried out, eager to spend every second of their break relaxing. A half dozen shirts hit the sand, including the former model's, effectively staking out an area on the otherwise deserted beach. It was a testament to their excitement that most of the men didn't bother to glance back at the disrobing woman before following the two aquatic specialists in a headlong rush for the surf. Those who did, however, were treated to a glare from their PT instructor that threatened to burn their skins raw quicker than the glaring sunlight. Predictably, they averted their eyes.

"Not so fast." the Sergeant Major's snarl stopped the five hopeful greenies (sans shirts) in their tracks. "Don't think you'll be gettin' a vacation outa this."

"At least take your shirt off!" Cover Girl called to the always-irate drill sergeant.

He slowly turned to face her. His scowl was visible through his balaclava. "Do ya wanna join our drills, Barbie?"

"No, Sergeant Major!" her response was prompt and forceful enough that he had to answer with a "Hmph" to avoid smiling slightly. If she dreaded his training, he wasn't getting soft. "But if you want to make it worse for them, I suggest showing as well as screaming their inadequacy."

Scarlett shook her head slightly and tuned out the sound of the two talking. A quick glance around, and she frowned. They were two people short, not counting Deep-Six and Wet-Suit. She returned to the van and peered inside. "Snake," she groaned as she reached inside. "Come out. It's nice out here."

The black-clad ninja was sitting in the darkest corner of the transport, clearly making an attempt to become part of the seat. He alternated between tugging on the short sleeves of his t-shirt and rubbing his right arm, over his tattoo. The redhead rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a ninja baby and come out."

The comment only made Snake sink deeper into his seat. Scarlett groaned. There was no way she could drag a one hundred-eighty pound ninja out of the van, and the moment she turned around to call for help, Snake would disappear. "Please, Snake?" She dipped her chin slightly and gave him a mournful look. "For me?"

The ninja tilted his head contemplatively.

"You know, I'll be miserable all day if you don't come out."

"If she's miserable, she might not go swimming. And I know you want to see that, brother." Storm Shadow's voice was suddenly located one seat forward. It took all of Scarlett's willpower to not flinch.

_[I can't see much if she's in the water.]_ Snake signed.

"And where were you?" Scarlett eyed the surprisingly not-shirtless ninja with a hint of suspicion. Storm liked showing off, so it wasn't like him to not take advantage of the scenario.

"Making sure that we weren't being followed," he replied casually before returning his attention to his brother. "You don't want to make her sad, do you?"

Snake's gaze alternated between his love and his brother. He had a hunch both of them had planned this out beforehand, given that Scarlett perfectly timed her pleading expression with Tommy's question. Of course, it could be a coincidence, but he still had his suspicions.

Well, damn.

_[Fine.]_ he signed, seeing no point in resisting the inevitable. Almost instantaneously, two different hands shot out, grabbed his wrists, and yanked him out of the van. The cool ocean air hit his skin, and he almost flinched. _[Why do I have to wear a t-shirt and shorts again?]_ he signed once he freed himself from Scarlett and Storm's grips.

"You don't have to wear the shirt if you don't want to," Scarlett suggested coyly. Storm snorted.

Snake rolled his eyes, exaggerating the motion with his head, but she could tell that he was smiling. _[I'll take it off back at the hotel. Not here.]_ He lightly ran his fingers along her jawline. Scarlett grinned slowly.

"And we all know what that will lead to - no sleep for me tonight." Storm ducked as Scarlett swung a fist at his head. "Calm down, Red. I was joking. I brought plenty of earplugs. I already have a waterproof pair in." He ducked again when she tried to kick him.

From her miniscule beach tote, she pulled an enormous bottle of SPF 90 sunscreen. Snake recoiled slightly. Storm's eyebrows rose.

"Come on. You don't need any more burns on your body." She approached him with a handful of the white goop.

Snake frowned. _[That was low,]_ he signed, backing away slowly.

"My point still stands. Come here." She beckoned.

With head bowed, he approached and reluctantly presented one arm to her. He somehow managed to let out a broken-sounding yelp when she attacked his arm and began furiously rubbing the sunscreen into his skin.

Storm chuckled. "Look at you. And just when I thought _gaijin_ couldn't get any whiter..." He ignored the glare Snake shot him.

"Ha ha, '_gaijin_ couldn't get any whiter.' Keep on laughing, Tommy, because you're next." She paused to flick a gob of the lotion at his face before turning back to Snake. "Shirt off," she ordered.

_[You said I didn't have to,]_ he protested weakly. _[I'll keep it on.]_

She sighed and swiped a thick line of sunscreen under the collar of his shirt. He winced and wriggled uncomfortably. _[Careful.]_

"You don't want burns on your burns, do you?"

_[They're numb.]_ He shrugged.

"Lifeline would have a fit." She pointedly directed her gaze toward the medic, who was harrying a sunbathing Cover Girl with a tub of industrial-strength sunscreen rivaling Scarlett's.

Storm Shadow made a dismissive sound. "You _gaijin_ burn so easily."

"At least we're trying not to get burned." Scarlett walked towards him while squeezing another generous blob of sunscreen into her hand. "Now, stay still."

He danced out of her reach. "I've trained for years outdoors in direct sunlight. What makes you think I'll need sunscreen after all that time?"

Snake-Eyes coughed out a silent laugh as, nearby, Lifeline's head snapped up. "You're human too, and you're just as susceptible to skin cancer as the rest of us!"

Storm turned on his heel and dashed off as Scarlett made a lunge for him. A spray of sand went up as he dodged Lifeline and sprinted away with the determined redhead and the disgruntled medic hot on his heels.

A blonde blur shot out suddenly and attached itself to the fleeing ninja's back in an attempt to slow him. He missed a single step, threw Cover Girl off rather roughly, and continued sprinting for a few steps, but the distraction had slowed him enough that Scarlett was able to tackle him from behind. Her sunscreen-covered hands slipped on his arms but found purchase at his wrists, which he helpfully did not use to wrench her fingers backward as he usually did.

"My shirt's not even off yet, ladies," he smirked as Lifeline helped force him to the ground.

"We all know you'll be taking it off. So you'd better sunscreen your back thoroughly." Lifeline was already scrubbing the lotion onto the back of his neck.

"Contrary to popular belief, I _do_ need a free hand to take my shirt off." He raised his eyebrows at Lifeline, who had a firm grip on his arms. "And I'd rather not break your wrist. You really shouldn't hold my arms like that. It would be so easy."

"How, exactly?" The medic eyed his grip thoughtfully. Storm exerted a small bit of pressure on the man's palm, and the medic hurriedly freed his arms. "You should _not_ have that much leverage at that angle." He frowned.

"Ninja," Storm reminded him.

"Ninja who still needs sunscreen." Lifeline hovered another glob of sunscreen over the ninja as he slipped out of his shirt with a flourish. Nearby, Cover Girl gave a low whistle of appreciation, which earned her a few colorful words from a nearby sergeant major.

"Show-off." Scarlett smacked a handful of sunscreen onto his chest as hard as she could. It splattered in every direction, but he didn't flinch.

_[You're getting slow if Cover Girl can catch you,]_ Snake signed as he walked over.

"And how do you know I didn't just _let_ her catch me?" The smug smirk on Storm's face remained in place even after Snake whacked the back of his head reprimandingly. At the same time, Scarlett slapped more sunblock onto him, this time on his shoulder. "That's not how you're supposed to apply sunscreen, Red," Storm pointed out.

"No, really?" She scowled as she began spreading the slippery substance over his muscular torso. Storm grinned and opened his mouth, but Scarlett beat him to it. "Say one word, and you won't be able to have children."

He made a face. "You're cruel." He turned face Snake-Eyes, and gave him his most pitiful look. "How could you let her do this to me, brother?"

Snake shrugged. _[At least she's doing this for your benefit.]_

Storm didn't budge as Scarlett continued her harsh application of the protective lotion. "I'm going to look like a prehistoric cave painting once she's finished."

Snake-Eyes' shoulders shook with laughter.

* * *

Courtney A. Krieger, better known as Cover Girl to her teammates, had been with G.I. Joe for several years. Like every Joe, she had developed a strong sense of camaraderie with the others; it was hard not to, since they went to Hell and back on almost a daily basis in PT. The horrifying things they had witnessed while serving together had only helped to seal their bonds.

Yet, it never failed to surprise her just how _different_ some of her teammates were when relaxed. Well, some of them. Wet-Suit and Deep-Six were - not surprisingly - nowhere to be found. Lifeline fussed over everyone to make sure nobody got overheated or dehydrated, but he too eventually got into the water. Storm swam around quite a bit near the shore and sometimes disappeared for minutes at a time. Scarlett was practically attached to her sunscreen bottle, emerging from the water several times to reapply a protective layer onto her skin.

And Snake. Poor Snake. Cover Girl had never seen him show much skin before, and he looked really uncomfortable in his t-shirt, shorts, and ski mask. It almost made her forget that he was one of the most dangerous men alive. He was adamant about staying on the beach and under an umbrella. His explanation was that any black material other than his bodysuit was bound to heat up very quickly. He didn't go near the water either, under the claim that ski masks were hard to breathe through when wet.

This - of course - led to Storm Shadow chasing him around with a bucket of seawater.

It was also kind of sweet, really, to see Scarlett chasing after the two ninjas as if they were little boys and screaming at them to put on more sunscreen. Snake often complied, although he stayed in shade most of the time, but Storm obviously enjoyed giving the redhead a hard time. This led to elaborate and very entertaining squabbles between the two.

Overall, everyone was acting exceptionally playful and easy-going, which - in turn - helped her anxieties fly away on the ocean breeze.

Cover Girl laid back down on her beach towel and closed her eyes, soothed by the sound of the waves. She was just beginning to doze off, when-

"Too slow, ya maggots! Again, and faster this time, gawddammit!"

She bit back a groan as she sat up and slid her sunglasses up on her head. "Can you be a little louder, Sergeant Major?" she asked dryly. "It's almost relaxing here."

The drill sergeant obliged her request without hesitation. His voice boomed across the beach, almost drowning out the waves. The trainees winced, and one greenshirt eventually clapped his hands over his ears.

Beach's reaction was immediate. "AM AH TOO LOUD FOR YOU?" he roared directly at the unfortunate soldier.

"N-no sir!" The greenie's hands dropped down by his sides. Despite the tremor in his voice, he made every effort to shout at the top of his lungs. Compared to the furious Sergeant Major, his voice was a meek whimper.

"AH AIN'T A SIR! IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE SOUND OF MAH VOICE, THEN HOW'RE YA SUPPOSED T'SURVIVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD?"

"Sneeden!" Cover Girl snapped as she stood up. "Can't you understand sarcasm?"

"Ya told me to be louder. Ya got yer wish, Cinderella. It ain't worth bein' sarcasm if it's good advice." He didn't take his eyes off of the trembling greenie.

"Can't you dismiss them for the day? They've been training since morning!" She pointed at the sun, which was resting comfortably about sixty degrees off the horizon. Afternoon. "Give them a break. They deserve it."

"Ah ain't bout to let them go soft just 'cause the sun's lookin' pretty. When they have to haul their asses along on a mission they'll thank-"

"Yes, we've all heard that lecture." Cover Girl casually shifted her weight to one leg and placed a defiant hand on her hip, drawing the wary attention of the exhausted greenshirts.

"DON'T GO INTERRUPTIN' ME, CINDERELLA!" he barked. "DROP AN' GIMME SEVENTY-FIVE, AND AH'D BETTER NOT SEE SAND ON YER KNEES WHEN YOU GET UP!

Without a word of protest, Cover Girl got down and began pumping out push-ups, a scowl visible on her face.

Satisfied, the Sergeant Major turned back to the five men, most of whom had taken the opportunity to collapse in the sand. "Don't think I didn't see y'all lookin'. Seventy-five, each of ya."

They all complied without a groan. Seventy-five neat, perfect push-ups later, six figures straightened up with a few grunts.

"Now that they're properly warmed-down, how about that break I was suggesting you give them?" Cover Girl rubbed the sand from her palms.

Beach Head frowned, then looked at the tired men. "They should be training."

"And they've trained. Beach, we came here to relax - 'we' including the greenshirts." She tilted her head a little and smiled. "And you."

He grumbled irritably.

"Please, Wayne," she murmured. "You can work them into the ground as many times as you want tomorrow at PT."

"Hey, don't give him any ideas," one of the greenies protested, only to be elbowed by his partner.

Beach's displeased expression was visible through his balaclava. "I'll remember you said that when yer crawling through mud, Barbie."

Cover Girl's smile took on a pained edge. "Yes, Sergeant Major."

The man grumbled and cursed inaudibly under his breath. Inaudibly, that is, to everyone but Storm Shadow, who suddenly made a sour face. "Alright." He turned to face the greenshirts, who immediately straightened up. "Dismissed. But I'd better see ya workin' yer asses off at this 'relaxin' thing. No lazing around sunbathin' or ya'll be right back here, and next time I ain't stoppin' 'till the sand's skinned yer whole puny legs!

The greenshirts' eyes lit up and they all snapped a crisp salute before disbanding in all directions. "If ya drown, ah ain't savin' ya, so keep yer head above water!" Beach Head barked after the men. "An' wave if yer in trouble! Keep an eye on yer buddies!"

The former model covered her mouth with her hand, but couldn't keep from giggling. "What's so funny?" Beach demanded.

"Nothing, Sergeant Major. Nothing at all."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Short chapter. Hopefully the next one will be longer.

* * *

Tristan Hassett was pretty happy at the moment. It was hard not to be.

They were at the beach, a certain Sergeant Major wasn't trying to deafen them anymore, they had a couple long, precious hours before sunset, and the view Cover Girl and Scarlett provided was just _stunning. _

Sure, he was a little tired even though he and his fellow greenshirts had rested a full half-hour after Beach Head's training. Who wouldn't be? Okay, fine, so maybe the ninjas would still be bouncing around. "Gawddamn spooks," as the Lord of PT had always put it. Oh, well. So what? It wasn't as if he and his buddies had no experience in the ocean before. Besides, they weren't on a mission. They were going to stay close to shore, where their feet could touch the bottom.

Tristan couldn't hold back a smile as he entered the water. Finally, a chance to actually enjoy the ocean and play in its waves. He slowly began to relax, allowing his body to adjust to the temperature of the water-

He shrieked loudly when cold sea water splashed over his head. "AUGH! Sonuvabitch!" he sputtered as he started swimming rapidly after his attacker, who began hollering with laughter as he struggled to get as far away as he could.

A few minutes later, the five of them were having the ultimate water-fight. The surface of the water turned foamy and white as they splashed each other. The air was filled with unrestrained laughter and incoherent exclamations, half of which were probably Beach Head-influenced curse phrases.

They were so preoccupied with their playing, that they didn't notice that they were all treading water.

Tristan paused long enough in his splashing to notice that - damn - the Joes on the beach looked _really _small. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Holy shit. Since when did they get so far away from the shore?

"Guys? Hey, guys!" He made a 'T' with his hands. Time out.

"What? What is it?" His buddy wiped water from his face.

Tristan pointed towards the beach. "We went too far out. We should really stay close to shore." He grinned. "This is Deep-Six and Wet-Suit's territory. Who knows where they are? They could be right under us, ready to pull one of us under any moment."

Right on cue, the other four men snuck a glance underwater. Tristan rolled his eyes. "Guys..."

"Okay, okay. Let's go," one of his fellow greenshirts chuckled as they began breaststroking back.

They talked and joked on the way, but after about ten minutes, one of them made the comment, "We're not getting closer."

Silence fell over the group as the members slowly came to the same conclusion. "Guess we'll have to swim faster." Tristan dipped his head and automatically shifted to a loose freestyle.

After what was more than enough time, he lifted his head again. He froze. His blood turned cold, and his heart pounded in his ears.

They weren't any closer than they were before. And he wasn't sure, but land actually looked _further _than it had been half an hour ago.

They were stuck at sea.

Despite knowing better, he let panic seize him by the throat.

* * *

It didn't take Beach Head long to feel that something was amiss. Not long at all. Maybe it was because he was on edge to begin with. Or maybe because greenshirts plus alone time usually equaled trouble. He squinted as he looked out over the water, making out five splashing forms. He grumbled quietly. Such a waste of precious time.

At least he now had time to rethink his PT course and make a few... changes. So what if the greenies would hate him and Cover Girl tomorrow? She was the one who traded extra training for a few hours of playtime. Oh, yes. The team would absolutely _love _the new changes to the course.

A sound refocused his attention on the new recruits. Still splashing, as always, but it appeared a little more... frantic.

He was on his feet in a second. "MAGGOTS! What're you doin'?" he bellowed.

"What is going on? What are the greenshirts doing now?" Cover Girl straightened up. Scarlett trotted over.

For once, Beach ignored her. He took a deep breath. Both women covered their ears. "YER STUCK IN A _RIP CURRENT!_ Swim ABREAST to the shore! Swim _ABREAST_ to the shore!"

At the words 'rip current,' the men panicked. Arms flailing, legs kicking, mouths gasping, as they tried even harder to swim directly back. Something - anything - to get out of the water. The water that was dragging them further and further out to sea.

"They're not listening."

Beach turned around and stepped so close to Storm that their noses almost touched. "Shuttap, ya damn spook," he growled. "They WILL listen to me."

"HEY! Swim. Parallel. To. The. Beach!" Scarlett screamed as she motioned to her right with large, sweeping arm motions.

A black and tan blur charged past her, heading straight for the water. Scarlett's eyes widened and she chased after it. "Wait, Snake! Your mask! You won't be able to breathe!"

Snake completely disregarded her, jumped onto a nearby breakwater, and began sprinting across the rocks out to the ocean. Scarlett followed easily, although she was soon surpassed by a quietly cursing Storm.

Snake-Eyes took one, two, three precise steps, then he was soaring through the air. His body arched as he entered the water smoothly and began swimming towards the greenshirts.

"Stupid _gaijin_!" Storm hissed as he picked up his speed and launched himself off of a boulder and into the water. Scarlett joined him in the water within seconds.

Shoot. Scarlett was right, Snake soon realized. His mask filled with water immediately, dragging against his face as he angled up from the shallow dive to begin the race to the struggling greenies. He came up with a powerful kick, but his soaked mask sealed off his nose as he surfaced, causing him to nearly inhale the water. Willing himself to remain calm, he took an agonizingly slow breath, forcefully drawing air through the saturated fabric. He settled with breathing through his mouth and almost wished he hadn't. Salty droplets of seawater splattered against and stung the back of his tongue with every labored breath he took. The next time he surfaced, he coughed hard, his throat on fire. Then he continued swimming. A voice he recognized as his brother's kept on shouting something at him, but he pushed onward. The worst news Storm could give him at the moment was that there was a shark in the area, which still wouldn't change the objective. In fact, if anything, it would only reinforce the need to get the greenshirts out of the water as soon as possible.

Just then, one of the struggling men dipped under the water and didn't resurface. _No!_ Snake took a deep breath and fought the urge to cough as he dove down. He wrapped an arm around the greenshirt from behind and began swimming towards the surface. Air. The man needed air, or he wouldn't live long.

Turns out, that was one of the worst decisions he had ever made.

* * *

**A/N:** =D


	3. Chapter 3

_Idiot! Bastard! Fool! _Storm Shadow mentally yelled insults at Snake-Eyes, half of which didn't make much sense. His blood boiled and his body felt so hot with fury he no longer acknowledged the icy ocean water. That son of a _bitch, _always trying to play hero, always trying to save someone, and it was about to cost him his life.

Somewhere behind him, Scarlett frantically called out Snake-Eyes' real name, but it didn't register in Storm's mind. Just ahead of him, the scared and exhausted greenshirts were practically attacking Snake, all their thought processes reduced to trying to use him as leverage so they could keep their heads above water. Their actions and his mask were preventing him from taking a proper breath, and if he couldn't get to the surface, neither could the unconscious man in his arms.

He was being _drowned_ by the very people he was trying to save.

Pure, blind fury engulfed Storm Shadow, and he dove. He swam under the group and, with a powerful thrust of his leg, kicked a clinging greenshirt away from his brother. Snake inhaled deeply, his throat gurgling with seawater as he struggled to get the man to keep breathing.

"Let GO!" Storm growled, prying the greenie from Snake's hold. For a moment, it looked like his brother wasn't going to comply, but Snake's grip loosened when he coughed, allowing Storm to pull the greenie away.

"Snake-Eyes!" Scarlett gasped as she swam over to him. "Snake! Take your mask off!"

Stubbornly, Snake shook his head even as he spasmed in a coughing fit.

"Goddammit, Hebi no Me!" Storm Shadow snarled. "Now is not the time to be worried if you look your best or not! _At least _roll your mask up!"

A greenie tried to cling to Scarlett instead of one of the ninjas, but the redhead kept him away. "On your back! ON YOUR BACK!" she ordered. When the greenie struggled to obey, Scarlett helpfully turned him on his back. "Good. Stay there and catch your breath. I'll be right back."

Thankfully, the man stayed where he was while Scarlett swam over to the still-panicking remaining two greenies.

... Two? Storm had one, Snake was still trying to cough out water, and there was only one man floating on his back. There were supposed to be three greenshirts remaining.

She took a deep breath and released it in an effort to calm herself. After refilling her lungs, she dove down, scanning the depths for a humanoid figure. _No, no, no, please, no. Don't let it be too late. Please, please. _

A hand wrapped around her ankle, almost making Scarlett inhale water. Whirling around, she found herself face-to-face with Cover Girl, who pointed to the surface repeatedly before swimming up. Scarlett followed.

"Have you seen the missing greenie?" Scarlett gasped, wiping her face.

"You mean _that _missing greenie?" Cover Girl nodded towards Beach Head, who was swimming parallel to the shore with an unconscious greenshirt in tow. He was followed by Storm, who was struggling to drag both Snake and his greenshirt.

Scarlett did a headcount. "Yes. That one." A pause. "Since when did you and Beach get here?"

"We rode the rip current out here. Thought you guys might need some help."

"Well, thanks." She smiled at the former model as they both swam towards the three remaining greenies, all floating on their backs. Their chests still heaved with labored breaths, but they appeared a lot calmer.

"Good job, Steve." Reaching out, Scarlett patted the man on the shoulder. He was the greenie she had forced onto his back. "See what happens when you calm down? Your mind clears and you're able to help others."

"Thank you... ma'am..." he gasped. "What the... hell was that? We couldn't... we couldn't..."

"You were caught in a rip current," Cover Girl explained matter-of-factly. "Didn't you hear Beach?"

Steve shook his head slightly. "No, ma'am. Couldn't hear anything but splashing." He paused. "Damn. A rip current."

"A large column of water heading seaward," Scarlett offered helpfully as she swam around, checking on the other greenies. "It occurs when water gets trapped on the beach and has nowhere to go."

"A fucking rip current."

"Yes." Scarlett turned to another greenie. He was wincing, and one hand was resting on his stomach. "You alright, Tristan?"

"Just fine, ma'am," he replied, his voice tight. "I'll live... I hope."

"What happened?"

He carefully prodded his abdomen with his fingers. "It... it was my fault, sergeant."

"What happened?" she demanded again. "Are you hurt?"

"No, ma'am. Not injured." The greenie swallowed. His breathing had evened out, and regret was written all over his face. "I... he... Storm Shadow drop-kicked me underwater."

Scarlett blinked. "Really... why did he do that?"

This time, Tristan rolled over and began slowly swimming back to shore, his progress evidence that the rip current was no longer there. Eyes narrowed, Scarlett easily caught up with him. "Hassett, I demand an answer." She yanked hard on his shoulder, forcing him to stop and face her.

He ducked his head, not looking at her. "You'll hate me, sergeant," he choked.

"Why? What did you do?" Scarlett demanded.

The greenie swallowed hard. "I... I pushed Sergeant Snake-Eyes underwater." As Scarlett's eyes widened, he quickly added. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking! I was so scared, and I c-couldn't keep my head above water then I saw him and didn't think-"

"It wasn't your fault," she interrupted, cutting him off. "So you panicked and pushed Snake underwater. Then what?"

"Th-then Storm kicked me off of him. I... I'm sorry, ma'am. I should've known better."

Scarlett tucked her wet hair behind her ear. "I'm not the one you should apologize to, Hassett. You know that."

Tristan bit his bottom lip. "I do, ma'am. I'll apologize to Sergeant Snake-Eyes as soon as we get back to shore."

Smiling, Scarlett nodded. "I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"But will Storm Shadow?"

"Pardon?"

The greenie looked positively pale. "I tried to drown his brother. I think he has a vendetta against me now."

Scarlett made a dismissive noise. "I don't think so. If he held a vendetta against every single person who's hurt Snake, Cobra wouldn't be active today."

"Okay."

It took a while for the three greenies to regain their strength, but as soon as they did, the group began swimming back to the beach. Both Cover Girl and Scarlett noticed that the closer they got to shore, the more and more reluctant the greenies looked. "Oh," Cover Girl murmured as she nudged Scarlett and pointed towards the sand. Beach Head was looking royally pissed-off and Storm Shadow was pacing restlessly, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Of course. No one with even a smidgen of common sense would approach those two at the moment.

"Go see to Snake. I'll make sure we _don't _have roasted greenies for dinner tonight." Cover Girl gave Scarlett a pat on the shoulder before walking out of the water in Beach Head's direction.

Scarlett broke into a jog as soon as her feet found firm footing. Storm Shadow had stopped pacing and was standing next to Snake as Lifeline examined him. Snake's mask and t-shirt were on the ground and covered in sand, but Scarlett took no notice of them.

Snake was bundled up in a large white towel - Storm Shadow's, she guessed - and had a smaller, lighter towel - one that Lifeline insisted on bringing in case of 'emergencies' - completely covering his head. "How is he?"

At the sound of Scarlett's voice, Snake-Eyes straightened up a little and turned his face in her direction. "Yes, Snake - it's me." She sat down next to him. "You alright? How do you feel?"

Snake's left hand appeared from the towel. _[Fine. A little dazed, but fine.] _

"His body temperature, heart-rate, and breathing are normal." Lifeline stood up. "As rare as it is for Snake and I to agree on his physical condition, yes, he's fine."

Scarlett looked up at him. "How are the two greenies who came back first?"

Lifeline sighed. "They will also be fine." He nodded towards two forms in the sand. Scarlett almost had a heart attack until she noticed that their chests were rising up and down. They were breathing and fast asleep, bundled warmly in towels and thermal blankets. "What took you and Cover Girl so long in getting the rest of the greenies back?"

"They weren't in any danger of drowning or hypothermia. I had Steve float on his back while I made sure everybody was accounted for. Once I got back, he had two others floating with him. As soon as they regained some energy, we swam back. Cover Girl and I made sure none of them passed out or froze to death."

Lifeline nodded approvingly. "I'll go have a look at them. Nicely done, Scarlett, although I disapprove of running out to save someone without a flotation device of some sort."

Scarlett shrugged. "It was a spur-of-moment thing."

"A stupid spur-of-moment thing."

"Sergeant Snake-Eyes?"

Three sets of eyes and one pair of ears settled on the approaching greenshirt. Lifeline immediately moved towards him. "Hassett, you need to get dry and get warm immediately."

The dripping wet man shook his head. "No, I need to get this out. Sergeant, I..." he cleared his throat. "I'm... sorry for almost drowning you."

"You'd better be," Storm muttered irritably. Scarlett tossed a handful of sand in his direction, with no effect.

"It was the stupidest thing I could've done at the moment, and I did it." He dug his foot into the sand. "I know it's not going to change the past, but I'm sorry. I really am."

Snake tilted his head. Scarlett could almost feel him smiling _[It wasn't just you; it was every greenshirt in the water. It's an involuntary reaction associated with drowning. I forgive you.] _

Tristan's jaw dropped. "Really?"

_[Yes. You got kicked by my brother, did you not?] _

The greenshirt's face ashened. "Yes... right..." Slowly, he turned to face Storm, who immediately frowned. "Are you going to hold a vendetta against me?" he blurted out, voice shaking.

Storm's eyebrows went up. "And why would I do that?"

"For..." Tristan stared at his feet. "For... endangering your brother's life."

The ninja stayed silent for a while, thinking, before speaking. "Yeah, I think I will."

The look on the greenie's face was priceless. His eyes bulged, his mouth hung open, and his face was white. He looked like a dying fish, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to formulate a response and got nothing more out than, "Uh... um... uh... wha..."

Storm raised his hand, effectively shutting the flabbergasted greenshirt up. "IF... you don't get back in the water as soon as you are able to, and learn how to _properly _escape a rip current."

A laugh escaped Scarlett before she could stop it. Lifeline looked indignant. "Storm Shadow, that is unacceptable. These men-"

"Don't know how to recognize or escape these currents and might drown should this happen again," Storm finished coolly for him. "They need to learn. So, greenie, what do you say? Ninja vendetta or swimming lesson?"

Tristan glanced back at the two men he swam back to shore with. "Swimming lesson, sir," he answered quietly.

"You don't sound very sure."

"Swimming lesson, sir!"

"Much better." Storm Shadow grinned.

Scarlett rolled her eyes.

* * *

**A/N:** And so this story ends. I'm surprised at how many of you thought there was going to be a shark in the water. In real life, be careful when going to the beach and watch out for rip currents. Unlike in this story, if you get caught in one, chances are you won't be rescued by shirtless ninjas and you won't get a swimming lesson from one afterwards. Don't be as stupid as the greenshirts in this story. If you do get caught it a rip current, for the love of god start _swimming parallel to the shore_ until you get out of it.

Special Thanks to Greentigerr for co-writing, editing, AND trying on different kinds of wet masks to see what it is like to breathe through them. I'm not lying about this part. She actually did it. I have the chart she made if you don't believe me.

I might (keyword: MIGHT) write an epilogue to this. Maybe. If I feel like it. Until then, this story is considered complete.


End file.
